Broken Christmas
by JessicaStone134
Summary: Not all Christmases are happy as two police officers find out one cold Christmas Eve.


**This idea randomly came to me tonight so I thought I'd better write it down before I forgot it. So here it is, and I placed my favourite pairing in it, Jess and Callum. Not a typically happy Christmas story so read at your own peril! Enjoy and to all my readers, merry Christmas and a happy New Year!**

Callum Stone wasn't happy. It was Christmas Eve night and he was stuck at work doing paperwork until something more interesting came along. It seemed that all the criminals and bad people in Sun Hill were taking a Christmas break, so why did he still have to sit at the station when he could be at home? All he wanted was to return to his family. He sighed before picking up the photo frame Jess had given him for his fortieth birthday, filled with photos of their four children and one of him and Jess on their wedding day. He could have sworn Smithy was making him work Christmas Eve because of that stupid incident last week; just because he had ignored Smithy's ordered and nearly been killed by a rogue informant Smithy deemed it suitable that Callum be killed instead through the boredom of doing paperwork. His life was saved however when PC Ben Gayle stuck his head round the Sergeants door.

"Sarge, we've got a shout." Ben said.

"Right, start the car and get it warm, I'll be out in a minute." Callum replied, getting up from his desk, pleased that he was finally getting out the godforsaken office. He grabbed his coat and hat from the hat stand by the door, wrapping up before heading to the car. Ben pulled away with a screeching of tyres as soon as Callum was sat in the passenger seat. "What's the call?"

"Tina Martin rang in saying her daughter, Chantelle, wasn't answering her phone or letting her into her flat. Obviously we didn't think anything of it until the mum said that Chantelle has a history of mental health problems and hasn't been heard from for a week. She said that she rings Chantelle everyday just to make sure she's ok, but Chantelle hasn't been answering the phone the past two days. She wants us to make sure that her daughter is ok." Ben explained as he pulled up to a tall block of flats.

"There could be an innocent explanation. Maybe the daughter has a secret fella and is spending Christmas with him, or maybe she's gone to sunnier climates for the holiday. I for one wouldn't blame her." Callum reasoned. Ben just looked at him and Callum said "No, I don't believe that either."

"Ms Martin sounded really upset sarge. I don't think her daughter would have gone somewhere without telling her by the sounds of it." Ben explained, pushing the button on the lift to take them to the twelfth floor.

"Let's go and find out shall we." Callum said grimly, not liking the feeling he was getting in the pit of his stomach.

* * *

><p>The lift doors opened to the twelfth floor with a shudder. The two officers stepped out, looking left and right before spotting the frantic Ms Martin on her knees and shouting through what they assumed was Chantelle's letterbox. As soon as she spotted the officers she urged them forward.<p>

"Please hurry, I need to know that she's ok." Tina said tearfully. Beside her was a sack of presents.

"Alright Ms Martin, my name's Sergeant Stone and this is PC Gayle. Have you got any reason to believe that Chantelle might have hurt herself?" Callum asked while Ben peered through the letterbox.

"She's been depressed before, used to self harm; she had to see a counsellor and everything. Please, just open the door!" Tina begged.

"Have the neighbours seen or heard from her lately?" Ben asked.

"No, I went round and asked them all. I mean, Chantelle ain't exactly the best neighbour to have but she made an effort." Tina explained.

"How old is Chantelle Ms Martin?" Ben asked, noting everything down.

"She's gonna be twenty three at the end of the month. I hadn't heard from her for a few days, and its Christmas tomorrow and she's meant to be coming to mine for dinner. But I thought I'd bring her presents over, just in case she can't make it for lunch tomorrow for some reason, and to check that she's ok. Enough questions just kick the bloody door in so I can see my daughter!" Tina said, starting to get hysterical.

"Ok Ms Martin, stand to the side and do not enter the flat until we say. Understand?" Callum ordered the frantic woman. She nodded quickly, tugging her sack of presents to the side. She watched wide eyed as Ben smashed the door in, Callum walking past him, baton out just in case.

* * *

><p>"Chantelle? It's the police. If you're here, don't panic, we're here to check you're ok. Your mum's been worried." Callum called into the dark flat. There was no answer.<p>

"Sarge, can you smell that?" Ben asked quietly. Callum nodded; it was the smell of something that had gone off.

"I think you should call an ambulance Ben." Callum requested. He checked the whole flat, except for the bedroom. It was very tidy and orderly, but there were no Christmas decorations up and apparently no personal effects. Ben returned to his side just as Callum was about to enter the bedroom. They grimly glanced at each other, neither expecting to find Chantelle Martin alive. Callum turned the handle slowly, pushing the door open and flicking the light switch on. The smell of decay hit them as soon as the door opened, and they recoiled in disgust. Once they had grown vaguely accustomed to the smell they allowed themselves to look properly at the scene in front of them. Chantelle Martin was lying on her back on the bed. Her arms had slits running from wrist to elbow, and Ben noticed the empty pack of prescription pills resting in her slack hand. She was dead. Callum shut his eyes, shaking his head at this pointless waste of life. What were they going to tell the mother?

"I'll call it in." Ben said sadly, stepping out of the bedroom. Callum shut the bedroom door gently behind him, but the smell had seeped into the rest of the flat. He walked past Ben, who was in the kitchen calling it in, and out to the hall where Tina Martin was waiting expectantly. As soon as she spotted him she hurried over, trying to peer around him into the flat.

"Is she in there? Is she ok? Can I see her?" she asked in a rush.

"Come in and take a seat." Callum said quietly, shutting the door to the flat behind her once she was inside.

"What's that awful smell?" Tina said, wrinkling her nose before taking a hesitant seat. It was only then that she looked closely at Callum and Ben's faces. Her face dropped, "What is it? Where's my Chantelle?"

"Ms Martin, I'm so sorry to have to tell you this, but Chantelle is..." Callum began, but Tina interrupted. She jumped to her feet, her whole body shaking.

"No, don't you dare! Don't you dare finish that sentence. Chantelle is not...she's not...she can't possibly be...its Christmas tomorrow." Tina said, her voice breaking on the last few words.

"I'm so sorry. Chantelle is dead." Callum said as softly as he could. He watched as Tina fell to her knees, rocking back and forth, crying so hard that she was silent.

* * *

><p>An hour later, once CSE had turned up and Tina Martin had been taken to the station, Callum and Ben were bagging up evidence in the flat. They had found a suicide note addressed to Tina as well as an empty vodka bottle that had rolled under the bed. They bagged up her medication and her diary. No-one was talking unless necessary and even Eddie was silent. All they were thinking about was getting back to their families for Christmas, and wishing that there could have been a way to prevent this sad death.<p>

* * *

><p>It was with heavy hearts that Callum and Ben returned to the station, immediately being called into the Inspector's office.<p>

"Are you two alright? It can't have been easy, having to respond to that shout, what with it being Christmas." Smithy said, indicating his officers to have a seat.

"No offense sir but it's never easy going to those kind of shouts, no matter what time of year it is." Ben said. Smithy nodded in agreement.

"I know, and it doesn't get easier, no many how many times you see it." Smithy answered, seemingly drifting through his past suicides.

"If it's alright sir, I'd like to get the paperwork done so I can go home." Callum said with not a trace of emotion in his voice.

"Of course. Well done both of you, you handled it well. Have a good Christmas and I'll see you both in four days." Smithy said with a small smile.

"Merry Christmas sir." Ben said, raising a hand in farewell.

"Happy Christmas Smithy." Callum said quietly, shutting the door to the office gently behind him.

* * *

><p>The paperwork was done and filed, the evidence had been entered and Tina Martin had been spoken to and referred to a counsellor. She had been driven to her house by Callum, shaking about having to break the news to Chantelle's step-father and two younger brothers. Callum returned to the station, turned off his computer, put all his rubbish in the bin and locked his office. He changed into his civilian clothes, pulling on his big, grey wool coat as well as his navy scarf and black leather gloves. He stashed all his uniform in a messenger bag to take home and put in the wash. He grabbed his car keys and proceeded out the station, smiling and nodding at his colleagues who wished him and his family a merry Christmas. Right now it didn't feel that merry, but he had to leave Chantelle Martin's case at work. He wasn't going to ruin Christmas Eve for his family. As he stepped out the station it seemed milder than it had before. The reason for that soon became evident as snowflakes started to drift lazily to the ground. Jamie would be excited about that. With that thought and the thought that he would soon be seeing his family, Callum trudged to his car and started the short journey home.<p>

* * *

><p>Callum parked in the drive, taking a breath before getting out. He could see the lights of the Christmas tree twinkling in the front bay window, and the multicoloured lights that he had pinned around the front door were twinkling merrily. As soon as the engine was turned off the front door opened and a small boy with blonde hair was out and running at the car. Callum got out, scooping the excited boy up and planting a kiss on him.<p>

"Hey Jamie, where's your mama?" Callum asked his eldest, who was six.

"Putting the babies to sleep. It's snowing daddy!" Jamie shrieked happily, wriggling like mad in Callum arms. Callum set him down, chivvying him to the house, locking the front door behind them.

"And why aren't you in bed yet! It's nearly eight o'clock young man. You're supposed to go to bed early so that Santa comes!" Callum said, shrugging out of his coat.

"Mama said I could stay up until you get home so you can read me a story." Jamie explained seriously.

"I see. Is Toby in bed already?" Callum asked, walking through to the kitchen.

"Yep. He cried though because he wanted to see you before he went to sleep but mama said no." Jamie said following Callum through the house.

"Poor Toby! Come on then mister, let's get you up and in to bed and all snuggled ready for Santa." Callum said, picking up a yawning Jamie.

"But daddy I want to play in the snow." he said sleepily.

"Tomorrow you can once we've had lunch." Callum promised, walking slowly up the stairs. Jamie rested his head on Callum's shoulder, seemingly content with Callum's answer. Callum passed Jess as she was coming out the twin's nursery. They smiled briefly at each other as Callum carried on to Jamie's bedroom at the end of the hall. He set his son down in his bed, tucking the covers right up under his chin. He placed Jamie's toy dog that he'd had since he was born under the covers with him and picked a book from the table. Callum had been reading "The Gruffalo" to him, so he proceeded to the page they had finished on and carried on reading. By the end of the third page Jamie was spark out. Callum smiled, marked his page in the book and put it down. He brushed a kiss against his son's head and placed Jamie's stocking at the end of the bed. He turned to leave the room and smiled at Jess, who was stood leaning against the doorframe. He shut Jamie's door quietly and followed Jess down into the living room where she had two large glasses of wine waiting. Callum collapsed heavily on the sofa, Jess passing him his wine glass before she curled up against him.

"Bad day huh?" Jess guessed. Callum looked at her with a frown.

"Did Smithy ring you?" he asked.

"No, I just happen to know my husband very well." Jess said with a small smile, "What happened?"

"Twenty three year old woman with history of self harm killed herself." Callum said, all trace of emotion gone from his voice. Jess could feel how tense he was.

"Oh Callum." Jess said softly, taking his hand in hers, gently rubbing her thumb against the pad of his hand.

"It was horrible Jess. We walked into the flat and we could just smell the decay. And then to see her...her mum was waiting outside with a sack of presents. She was devastated Jess, absolutely devastated. No-one should have to go through losing a child, especially not on Christmas Eve." Callum said cheerlessly.

"I know sweetheart. The worst thing a parent could ever go through is losing a child, trust me, I've been there, but she will get through it. It will take her years, and it'll be hard, and she'll never forget her child, but she'll learn how to deal with it." Jess said quietly, resting her head on Callum's shoulder as Jamie had done earlier.

"I don't know how you got through it Jess, after Luke died I mean. I don't know what I'd do if any of them got ill or god forbid...I can't even say it." Callum said, shaking his head.

"You won't have to deal with is because they'll all be healthy and strong and live to a hundred." Jess said comfortingly.

"I hope so." Callum whispered.

"I know so." Jess said surely.

* * *

><p>The following morning, Christmas morning, the Stone's were woken by two excitable boys jumping on their beds with their stockings clutched in their hands.<p>

"MAMA! Santa's been! Look, he's filled Toby's stocking and mine! And it's been snowing all night!" Jamie shouted, shaking his stocking about.

"Daddy!" Toby whispered, crawling in between his parents so he was lying facing Callum. Callum's eyes drifted open, a smile gracing his face as he saw the blue eyes of Toby staring at him.

"Merry Christmas Toby. What have you got there?" Callum asked, yawning before sitting up.

"My sock daddy, Santa left me presents in it!" Toby said excitedly.

"Wow, you're lucky." he said, hauling Toby onto his lap and watching as Toby emptied it on the bed. He turned to face Jess who was smothering a giggling Jamie in kisses. "Merry Christmas darlin'." he said, leaning over to kiss his wife.

"Ew, daddy stop that." Jamie said, wrinkling his noise. His parents laughed before Jess got out of bed.

"No doubt you've woken the twins up with all your screaming." Jess said to Jamie. Jamie's face dropped, thinking he was being told of.

"I'm sorry mama I was just so excited." Jamie said, his lip trembling.

"It doesn't matter sweetheart because it's Christmas!" Jess shouted with a grin, scooping Jamie off the bed and swinging him round. She placed him on the bed where he began playing with Toby. Callum got out of the bed, putting on his slippers and wrapping his dressing gown round him before following Jess to the nursery. Jess pushed the door open and laughed, seeing the twins sat up in their cribs, looking around and wondering what all the noise was about. "Good morning my little Christmas puddings!" Jess said.

"Really Jess? Christmas puddings?" Callum said with a grin, scooping Frankie out of her crib and planting a kiss on her nose.

"It's better than calling them roast turkey's." she said with a laugh, grabbing Rory who was stood with his arms out, waiting for his mother. They walked back into their bedroom, eyes widening at the mess the boys had made in the short amount of time that they'd been left alone. Chocolate was smeared around their mouths and also on the white bed sheets. Jess shook her head, but there was a smile on her face as she got back into bed, sitting Rory on her lap so he could see his brothers. Callum sat next to her, Frankie nestled in between them, playing with her toy. Callum and Jess watched their children playing and giggling together. Yes Christmas was a manic and often messy time, but the Stone's wouldn't have it any other way.


End file.
